Sometimes solving a crime is less about finding the evidence and more about figuring out who is lying to you.
Alibis by Allplay is a word deduction game where you work cooperatively to figure out who the culprit is from a lineup of villains. By trying to link two of the villains' alibis using just one word, can you figure out which one doesn't belong?
Alibis has a similar word-puzzle feeling to Codenames, but in my opinion, it's much trickier while also being incredibly satisfying when you make the right connection. It takes the familiar idea of finding links between words and turns it into a much more focused puzzle, where understanding how your fellow players think is just as important as finding the connection yourself.
What Kind of Game Is It?
Alibis is a 2–6 player cooperative word deduction game that takes around 20 minutes to play.
At the start of each round, a lineup of villains is placed in front of you, with each villain receiving a random word card to represent their alibi. Each player is then secretly given two villain cards, with one remaining villain becoming the hidden perpetrator.
Everyone then has to come up with a one-word clue that connects the alibis of their two villains. Once the clues are revealed, the group has to work out which clues belong to which pairs and, ultimately, which villain doesn't belong.
The concept sounds simple, but the restrictions are what make the game interesting. You're not choosing which words to connect; you're given two specific words and have to find a single connection between them. If your villains have superhero and ocean, for example, you might choose Aquaman. The difficulty comes from making a connection that other players will understand, while avoiding a clue that accidentally points towards another villain.
The game is played over three rounds, with a pool of Heat tokens acting as your score. Correctly identifying another player's connection removes one Heat, while correctly identifying the perpetrator removes three Heat for each player who gets it right. The less Heat remaining at the end, the better you've done.
There are plenty of alibi cards and villain combinations, meaning the puzzles change from game to game. With smaller player counts, particularly two or three players, you can also use additional villain cards to create more combinations and give yourselves a larger puzzle to solve.
The obvious comparison is Codenames, and there are certainly similarities. Both games revolve around making and interpreting word associations, but they approach deduction very differently. In Codenames, you're trying to identify which words belong together from a larger selection. In Alibis, you're given two specific words and have to find the connection between them, before using everyone's clues to work backwards towards the one villain who doesn't fit.
I actually find Alibis considerably trickier as a result. In Codenames, a good clue can potentially connect several words at once, whereas here you're restricted to finding a connection between two specific alibis. That makes some combinations surprisingly difficult, while also making it incredibly satisfying when you manage to communicate the connection successfully.
First Impressions
First of all, I love the small-box games from Allplay. They have a knack for packing surprisingly good games into a compact square box, and Alibis is another great example. The artwork immediately gives you a sense of what you're getting into, with the hidden culprit front and centre and a comic-book crime theme that carries through into the game itself.
That theme continues with the villain artwork, which I really enjoyed. Each villain is goofy and distinctive, leaning heavily into the comic-book supervillain aesthetic. They all have their own personality, making the lineup much more enjoyable to look at than a collection of generic character cards.
Inside the box you'll find the villain lineup cards, individual villain cards, word cards representing the alibis, Heat tokens, mini writing slates, a lineup sheet for recording your guesses, and whiteboard pens.
And speaking of those pens, I have to give them some credit. They're fine-tipped, feel great to write with, and actually work really well. I know it's a slightly strange thing to get excited about in a board game, but after using plenty of game-supplied whiteboard markers that haven't been particularly good, these were a pleasant surprise.
Setup is incredibly quick, and the game is just as easy to learn. You can get a group playing within minutes, with very little rules overhead getting in the way of the actual puzzle.
The challenge becomes apparent almost immediately. There were plenty of moments where I found myself thinking, "How on earth am I supposed to link these two words?" Sometimes the connection is obvious, while other combinations require you to stretch your thinking considerably.
Interestingly, I found the game became easier the more I played, not because the puzzles themselves got easier, but because I started to understand how the other players think. Knowing how someone is likely to interpret a particular word can make those riskier clues much more manageable.
There's also an incredibly satisfying feeling when you get a perfect round. When everyone correctly identifies the perpetrator, there's that immediate "Yes!" moment, but it's even better when the whole table correctly identifies both villains behind your clue. It feels like a genuine little pat on the back for coming up with the right connection.
Alibis definitely feels like a party game, but I don't think it's quite as light as its presentation might suggest. What you're actually doing is simple, but the puzzle can twist your brain in ways you don't necessarily expect.
Gameplay Experience
The actual gameplay of Alibis is incredibly simple, but the decisions within it can be surprisingly difficult.
The biggest challenge comes from creating your clue. You have two specific alibis in front of you and need to find one word that links them together. The best clues are often the ones that seem completely obvious once someone explains them, but getting to that connection in the first place can be surprisingly difficult.
You also have to think beyond your own pair. A clue might work perfectly for your two alibis, but accidentally create an even stronger connection to another villain. Suddenly you're trying to find a word that is both clever enough to link your pair and specific enough not to confuse everyone else.
Once the clues are revealed, the game becomes about understanding the people you're playing with. You're trying to work out which clues belong to which pairs before ultimately identifying the perpetrator.
This is probably my favourite part of Alibis. The more you play with the same group, the more you start to understand how they think. A clue that initially seems completely bizarre can suddenly make sense when you realise who wrote it and think, "Yep, that's exactly the sort of connection they would make."
You don't need to know everyone well for this to work, though. Trying to decipher the thought process of someone you've never played with can be just as entertaining, and sometimes their unexpected connections lead to the funniest moments.
The game suggests that players shouldn't openly discuss their clues, although my groups have generally been fairly relaxed about this. We've often discussed possible interpretations as long as nobody reveals which villains they actually have. I'd recommend playing strictly at first, as keeping those discussions hidden makes the deduction more interesting, but it's easy enough to adapt depending on your group.
The Heat system works nicely in the background, giving you a simple measure of how well you're doing. Getting someone's connection right removes one Heat, while correctly identifying the perpetrator removes three per player who gets it right. It means there are smaller victories along the way, but the real goal is getting the culprit.
Of course, it doesn't always go smoothly. Sometimes you'll create a clue that feels completely obvious to you, only for everyone else to stare at you blankly. Other times, you'll throw out what you think is a terrible stretch and somehow everyone immediately understands it. Those moments are part of what makes the game work so well as a party game, because the failures can be just as entertaining as the successes.
The three-round structure works well too. A bad round never feels particularly punishing because you quickly get another chance, while the changing alibi combinations mean you're always facing a new puzzle.
For me, that's ultimately what makes Alibis work. There's very little to the actual gameplay, but a surprising amount to think about within it. You're only writing one word, yet that word has to communicate an idea to everyone else without sending them in completely the wrong direction.
Who Is It For?
Alibis is definitely a party game, but I'd say it's aimed at people who enjoy a little more thinking from their party games. The rules are incredibly accessible, while the actual puzzles can be surprisingly demanding.
If you enjoy Codenames, I would absolutely recommend giving Alibis a go. There's enough familiarity in the word-linking and deduction to make it immediately approachable, but the focus on connecting specific pairs and finding the odd one out gives it its own identity.
It's also a great choice for newer gamers. You're not asking someone to learn a complicated strategy game; you're essentially giving them a puzzle and asking them to solve it. The artwork and goofy villain theme help with this too, making the game feel light and approachable even when the puzzle starts to twist your brain.
The advertised 20-minute playtime is probably a little optimistic in my experience. Most of my games have been closer to 20–30 minutes, depending on how quickly everyone comes up with their clues and works through them. That's still short enough to make Alibis an excellent filler or warm-up game, although I wouldn't necessarily recommend it as an end-of-night game when everyone's brain is already tired!
While it supports 2–6 players, I'd personally reach for it most often with 4–6 players. It works at two or three, and I'd still recommend trying it if that's the group you have, but having more clues and more people to interpret makes the experience more interesting.
It's also one I'd have no hesitation bringing out with non-gamers. I've played it with people who wouldn't normally reach for a board game, and the straightforward premise makes it very easy to get into.
The main audience I'd steer away from is anyone who doesn't enjoy word games. That's ultimately what Alibis is, and if coming up with unusual connections between words isn't something you enjoy, there's probably not much here to change your mind.
Highlights & Drawbacks
Highlights
- Clever word-deduction puzzle from a very simple premise.
- The clues become more interesting as you learn how other players think.
- Excellent comic-book artwork and goofy villains.
- Very quick to teach and set up.
- Plenty of different alibi combinations provide good replayability.
- Works well with both gamers and non-gamers.
- A great alternative to Codenames without feeling like a copy.
Drawbacks
- Some clues can feel very subjective, and occasionally a connection simply won't land with the rest of the group.
- The 20-minute playtime can stretch closer to 30 minutes.
- I think it works better with four or more players than at the lower player counts.
- If you don't enjoy word-association games, there's little here to change your mind.
Final Thoughts
Alibis is a great example of how a simple idea can create a surprisingly challenging game. On the surface, you're only trying to connect two words with one clue, but once you add deciphering everyone else's clues and identifying the villain who doesn't belong, it becomes a much more interesting puzzle.
What I enjoyed most is the balance between accessibility and difficulty. It's incredibly easy to teach and approachable enough for non-gamers, but the actual challenge can really make you think.
For me, Alibis sits comfortably alongside Codenames rather than trying to replace it. If you enjoy Codenames, I think there's a very good chance you'll enjoy this, but the more restrictive clues and focus on finding the odd one out give it a distinct identity.
It's not perfect. Some clues can feel like a stretch, and the subjective nature of word association means that not every connection will land with everyone. I'd also personally favour playing with four or more players.
But those issues don't take away from what is a genuinely fun party game. The combination of goofy villains, clever word puzzles and the satisfaction of finally working out the perpetrator makes Alibis very easy to bring to the table and surprisingly difficult to put down.
If you're looking for a quick, accessible party game that still makes you work your brain, Alibis is absolutely worth investigating.
